Here's how to add power to your vacuum cleaner for a deeper, more effective clean.

Formerly, your vacuum had plenty of suction power. Now, it struggles to pick up even the slightest bit of hair and dust. There's no way a vacuum this feeble will clean your home correctly. And with nasty microbes potentially lurking everywhere, it's high time to return your equipment to its former glory by giving it some much-required maintenance.

In this guide, I lay out everything you require to do to fix the situation. That comprises thoroughly washing its dust bin, to clearing its brushes, filters, and hoses of debris. After you've taken these simple steps, your upright vacuum should run just like new.

Step 1: Dump and Wash

Begin by emptying the dust chamber into the trash can. But don't place it back into the vacuum yet. While it's out, give it a fine wash in a sink full of warm, soapy water. Washing this tray likely won't enhance its performance any, but because you'll need to take the vacuum apart anyhow, you might as well do this step.

Before inserting the dust chamber back into the vacuum, if there is a grille on the inlet to the dust chamber or bag, ensure it's not obstructed by any debris.

Step 2: Remove Obstructions

Place the vacuum on its backside and take a look underneath. The brush roll should be free of debris and roll easily with a small amount of tension from the drive belt. If this is covered in string, hair, or anything else that hinders its movement or clogs the bristles, you want to remove the brush roll and clean it.

You may require to consult your owner's manual (or the manufacturer's website) for instructions on how to remove the brush roll. Mostly, it's held in place by a piece of plastic with a few quick release clips. Removing this guard will enable you to slide the brush roll out and remove the drive belt. Once it's out, utilize scissors or a knife to cut away anything that may be wound around it carefully.

Also, check to ensure nothing is obstructing the hose opening to the rear of where the brush roll sits. Clear any barriers before reinstalling the brush roll.

When everything is cleaned and free of debris, insert the brush roll back into its slot. Initial, slide the drive belt back into place. In most cases, you will require to pay attention to the orientation of the brush roll, as it can only be inserted one way.

Step 3: Replace Filters

Subsequent, take a look at the filter trays. If it's been a while since you changed the filters, chances are it's time to do it again.

For vacuum cleaners, filters differ quite a bit in price, but replacing them should only set you back $5 (£4.21 or AU$8.40) to $20 (£16.83 or AU$33.59). Consult your manual or the manufacturer's website for filter replacement part numbers and additional information on what kinds of filters your vacuum takes.

You can stretch the life of a paper or fiber filter with plastic trim by eliminating them and giving them a good shake outside or over a trash can. You can also tap it on the rim of a trash can or utilize a can of compressed air to remove the dust forcibly. This will result in a mess and might trigger some sneezing, but the plastic will help keep the filter rigid while you remove much of the dust build-up. This also won't restore the filter to its original state, and it won't be as effective as a new one, but it will work in a pinch until you can replace it.

Some filters can just be rinsed and reused. Normally, this is noted on the filter itself or in the manual. A foam filter, for example, can likely be cleaned and reinserted into the vacuum once dry. Just get rid of any excess dust and debris by hand before running it under warm water. On the other hand, a HEPA filter requires to be replaced, since it's made of loosely connected fibers and will be far less effective after being introduced to water.

Is it Time for an Upgrade?

If you've maintained your vacuum cleaner and it's still not performing as it should, you may want to consider contacting the manufacturer or a repair center to diagnose the problem further.

In many cases, you can have a part replaced for far less than the cost of purchasing a new vacuum cleaner.

Then again, this is the future. Vacuum cleaners have probably changed a lot since you purchased your existing one. Maybe it's time to let a robot do the dirty job.

References and Resources

• Cleaning Vacuum Cleaner Filters